


The Smell of Forest

by CM797



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-02-03 06:50:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1735154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CM797/pseuds/CM797
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Regina entrusts Robin with her heart, just one more time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Smell of Forest

Regina Mills hated the smell of forest now.

 

Shadows danced on the dirt as she walked through the forest, the smell of pine and fresh air entering her nose. Regina wanted to choke, a lump already forming at the back of her throat. No – none of that. She was here for one purpose and one purpose alone.

 

The moon was bright above the clearing, and the trees opened up to a little row of houses that belonged to Robin Hood and the rest of the Merry Men. All the houses were alight with a warm glow, laughter echoing into the forest. Regina used to love hearing them laugh, but now they were just too merry for her own damn good.

 

Ever since Swan waltzed into Granny’s Diner and ruined Regina’s life by bringing Marian back, the pulse that used to quicken whenever Robin was around only seemed to heighten an ache that recessed deep in her belly. She was stupid, so _stupid_ to think that her happiness could last. The Charming family had done one thing – to ensure that Regina was _never_ going to be as happy as they are. True love, really, wasn’t her thing. And the only thing that kept Regina from blasting Emma Swan (or at least her new smug boyfriend, Killian Jones) to bits was Henry, the only one who was absolutely torn between Marian, the woman of the fairy tale, and his own mother.

 

It was why she wanted to do this.

 

Robin’s cabin was in the center of it all, and even from far away, Regina could spot his silhouette from the window. He was sitting on the table nursing a mug of heavens-knows-what, his arm slung lazily around Roland’s chair. Roland (and bless Regina’s painful heart, Roland was adorable) was busy reading and talking to his father. Marian’s back was turned, cooking something on the stove and laughing at something Roland had said.

 

The picture made her sick to her stomach.

 

She didn’t even know that she had stopped in her tracks until Robin tilted his head and stared directly at her. His jaw dropped slightly, his fingers tightening around the mug he held in his hand. The lion tattoo on his arm tensed. _Damn that tattoo._

Regina watched him kiss Roland on the forehead and tell Marian something she couldn’t interpret, before standing up and heading for the door. He was coming, and she wasn’t moving an inch. She had never run away from anything or anyone – except her mother – and she wasn’t going to _now_ over him.

 

She stood her ground as Robin exited his cabin quietly, wrapping a scarf around his neck and bringing a coat. “It’s freezing out here, Your Majesty,” he said quietly, his eyes boring into hers and a half-smirk curling at his lips. “Are you not cold?”

 

Regina even forgot her coat. How pathetic of her. “I – I didn’t notice.” She smiled briefly, trying to ignore the way Robin glanced down at her lips before looking back up at her. “How’s Roland?”

 

“He’s doing alright. He’s reading the book you gave him. He memorized the constellations Henry taught him as well.” Robin looked back at Roland, who was now reading quietly on the table.

 

“That’s great. I’m glad he likes it.” Regina felt the lump once more at the back of her throat. _This_ was supposed to be hers – the life that she had dreamed of from the beginning. Instead, all she had was an empty house and that _stupid_ ache.

 

“Would you like to come in? You’re starting to shake.” Robin reached out and wrapped his coat around her, and once again, Regina smelled forest and something so distinctly Robin that she wanted to take it off. But she didn’t. Instead, she let him tug the coat around her shoulders, his hands lingering on them for a moment before falling to his sides.

 

“No, I’m fine. It’s not why I’m here.”

 

“Then, may I ask, why are you here, Regina?” His voice sounded so smooth, almost pleading. Robin’s eyes searched her own for an answer, his body too dangerously close to hers that she might have forgotten why she was there at all. All she wanted was for him to whisk her away, tell her she had nothing to worry about and that he was hers – only hers.

 

But that would never happen. That was why she was here, in front of him.

 

“I came to give you this.” Regina reached inside her purse and brought out a familiar-looking pouch. Robin looked down at it in surprise, his eyes flickering between Regina and the pouch in her hand. “It’s fine, you don’t need to see me remove it. It’s already in there.”

 

“Why – why are you giving this to me?” Panic laced Robin’s voice, and he stepped even closer to her. “Is Elsa after you? Do you need protecting?”

 

“N-no. It’s – it’s not that.” His scent was intoxicating. Regina cleared her throat. She could do this. She’s lost so many before; this won’t be any different from those times. She stood up a little more formally, looking into Robin’s eyes. “I just need you to keep it for me. You’re the only one I trust.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Robin reached out to hold her, but she stepped away. She squared her shoulders and stared at him, desperately trying to fight the lump that clogged her throat. Robin looked so lost and confused, but she refused to cave. She wrung her hands together in an attempt to keep still.

 

“I’m requesting that you keep my heart for an indefinite period of time. I haven’t been,” Regina paused and swallowed, “working properly with it, and I need you to keep it until I ask for it back.”

 

Recognition slowly dawned on Robin’s face, causing Regina to look away. She wasn’t one to be pitied, she never was, and she wasn’t going to let anyone start now. This was the best way to work against Elsa with everyone coupling up and being _happy_. “Regina, I –”

 

“This is what needs to be done.” Regina looked up at him with finality, a formal, distant smile on her face. “You have your family, and I have Henry. Please, just protect it for me. I will ask for it back when all this is over.”

 

Robin reached out and took her hand, and it felt like she was ripping her heart out of her chest. His fingers caressed her knuckles preciously before slowly intertwining them with hers, and that feeling that Regina sorely missed seeped through her system. He bowed his head and brushed his lips against her hand.

 

Regina pulled her fingers away, just as Marian opened the door to call out, “Robin?”

 

“Thank you for doing this favor,” Regina said thickly, suddenly finding her boots extremely fascinating. She turned on her heel and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, the feeling of Robin’s lips on her knuckles trickling down into her veins.

 

By the time she had cried herself to sleep, she had forgotten that she was wrapped inside his coat. The smell of the forest lingered.


End file.
